Traction mechanism.



J. M. WORTH: manor: MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAY 1. I9I5.

Patented Dec. 19,1916.

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l. M. WORTH.

TRACTION MECHANISM. Arms/(non mm MAYA-I915- Patented Dec. 19, 1916.

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En s'rarns earner o JAMES 1a. woa'rn; or cmcneo, rumors.

TRACTION Mnc'HAmsnt.

Specification of Iietters Patent.

Patented Dec. ie, 1916.

Application filed May 1, 1915; Serial No. 25,096.

nismmore especially intended for' use connection with traction engines and the like, and has for its object" "the provision of a tractor element so constructed that it will practically act as a rigid truss between the centers of the axles of the driving wheel and the driven wheel, thereby insuring pos1- tive traction Another object of my invention is to provide mechanism of the class specified which will be absolutely rigid between the driver and the driven wheels without the use of any intermediate permanent or stationary supports and therefore without producing friction on the tractive mechanism; the construction being such, however, that it may readilyfiex, as it passes about the wheels beyond the ce'nters'of the axles, as will be readily understood from the following detailed description.

In the drawingsF-Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of my improved mechanism. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken .on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 3 is a'vertical sectional view of one of the wheels, taken on the same line as Fig. 2,

with the traction element removed. F1 4 is a detail plan view illustrating themet 0d of for-min the interlocking cleats or shoes of the mec anism. Fig. 5 is a side elevation and partial sectional viewof a modified form of my-invention. Fig.- 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5 to a oint just beneath the center or axis. Fig. is a detail plan. view of the inner beltpc rtion of my mechanism illustrated in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a detail view of one .of the links, as employed in Figs. 5 and 6, shown in side elevation. Fig. 9 is a detail plan new of a modified form of the inner belt-portion.

In the particular exemplification of my invention as illustrated in the first three figures-of the drawings, I show two wheels 10 and 11, which. are preferably slmllar in construction except one of the wheels is intended to be the power or driving wheel, while the other is the driven wheel.

The wheel 10 is shown as the driver, and is therefore provided with the gear 12, which is adapted to mesh with any suitable train of gearing driven by any suitable motive power. The axles of both wheels, of course,'are mounted or journaled in suitable bearings in the usual manner, so that illustration and description of the mountings and frame of the vehicle need not be entered into.

The wheels'lO and 11 are preferably constructed of two side disks 13 and 14, suitably spaced apart by means of the hubportion 15, which is shown made integral therewith. Each side member or disk 13 and 14 is provided with a multiple or series of flat surfaces 16, see Fig. 2. These surfaces are of a size commensurate with the width of the shoes or cleats hereinafter described, and the number of flat surfaces is determined both by the size of the wheels and the width of the cleats or shoes of the tractor element.

In the construction illustrated, the sides or peripheries of the wheels are shown provided with flanges or rim-s 17 whereby centering of the tractor element is insured.

The tractor element comprises a series of shoes or cleats 18, preferably of cast steel.

These cleats 18 are preferably formed with off-set sides as more clearly shown in Fig. 4,

equalwidth, and spaced a art a distance slightly greater than the width of the extended portions. The extended portions 19 arearranged in a staggeredmanner on opposite sides of the cleat as shown in Fig. 4,-

so that the portions 19-on one side of the shoe or cleat will be opposite to the indented portions or intervening spaces on the other side of the cleat. It is evident from the construction just described, the extensions 19 on one side of a cleat will register with or-dove-tail into the intervening spaces on one side of the adjacent cleat; the cleats being similarly constructed and therefore interchan cable.

The on s of the extended portions 19 are preferably shown made circular in cross section and provided with registering holes to receive the connecting or hinge pins 20, which therefore extend transversely of the tractor element as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

\90 so as to provide extended portions 19, of

The shoes or cleats 18 are each provided with a pair of arms 21, 21, disposed at right angles to the tractivesurfaces, see Figs. 1 and 2, so as to be presented inwardly. The arms are formed on the under surface of the cleats at a point somewhat removed from the ends of the cleats, so as to permit both ends of the shoes or cleats 18 to overlap or come into contact with the flat surfaces 16 of the wheels, as shown in Fig. 2.

In order to provide greater strength, I prefer to unite the arms or right angularly disposed portions 21, of the cleats, by a web 22, see Fig. 2; the web being made arcuate as shown so as to not interfere with the inner member or controlling element now to be described. v

Theinner ends of arms or portions 21 are pivotally connected at 23, to an endless member or element 24:; the legs 21 being pivoted toop'posite sides of the endless'member (as shown in Fig. 2), so as to straddle the same. The connection between the legs- 21 and the element 24.-v is made by short pivots or pins l so as not to interfere with the proper movement of the element'about the hub 15 of the wheels. The links of chain or element 2% are united by the long pins 25which extend from side to side of chain 24, as shown in Fig. 2, and provide the pivotal or flexible 7 points for the chain, as disclosed in Fig. l,

at the points where the element is passing about the hubs of both wheels 10 and 11. The chain 24 is so formed that the links will straddle the circumferential rib or flange 26, formed centrally on the hubs of both wheels 10 and 11, see Fig. 2.

The traction belt or mechanism is made of a length just sufficient to extend about the peripheries of both wheels, so that both the cleat or shoe-portion hr element and the inner chain-portion or element of the mechanism will be held taut throughout the entire length thereof.

It is evident from the construction that as the tractor mechanism is revolved, the intermediate pivotal points of the inner element 2 1, formed by the pins 25, will be moved or pressed out by the circumferential rib or flange 26, at a point substantially in the same vertical plane as the axes of the wheels, thus inducing a proper flexing of the inner element 2% where it passes about the hubs of the wheels; the inner element, however, remaining unflexed throughout its travel intermediate of the points where it contacts with the rib or engaging member 26.

In Fig. 5, I show, in side elevation, and partially in section, a modified form of my improved traction mechanism, wherein the wheels .27 and 28 are provided with diverging sides or disk-portions, as more clearly shown in Fig. 6, so as to provide rim-portions or fellies separated by an intervening space extending down to the hub-portion, as shown in F1g. 6; the rim-portions and hub being preferably formed integral as shown. The rims or fellies of the wheels 27 and 28 are provided with equidistant grooves or notches, as shown at 29, see Fig. 5;. the notches or grooves being spacedapart to correspond with the width of the cleats 18.

of the outer element of the traction ,mecha nism. The grooves or notches 29 are adapted to receive the dovetailed or interlocking extended portions 19 of adjacent'cleats l8, namely the extended portions of the cleats which receive the connecting or pivot pins 20. It is apparent' from the construction shown and described that a good gripping relation between the wheels 27 and 28 and the outer traction element of the mechanism is provided, so that positivemovement of the 21 and also through the overlapping ends of the links 31 of the inner element or belt of the mechanism; the links 31 being 'arranged intermediate of the free or inner ends of arms 21*, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 The links of the inner belt or element are preferably of the construction more clearly shown in Figs. 7 and 8, namely with the flat sides as shown, being provided with an inner opening of sufficient size to allow the links to slide on the connecting pins 30 in the manner shown in Fig. 5' at the points where the traction element of the mechanism moves or travels about the wheels 27 and 28, namely at points just beyond the vertical centers of the hubs of the wheels.

In Fig. .6, I show the drive wheel 27 provided with a suitable gear 32, whereby power is imparted t'o'the wheel1-27 and through it to .the tractor element of the mechanism, thus causing said element to rotate about wheel 28..

In Fig. 9, I show a modified form'of the inner belt or element, wherein each alternate member or link-portion comprises two links 31 similar to links 31 shown in Figs.

7 7 and 8, arranged parallel and spaced apart wheels 27 and 28, is rigidly held in its normal position, namely with the inner ends of the arms 21 'of the cleats held against movement beyond their maximum spaced relation as shown in Fig. 5 intermediate of the wheels. The inner element will prevent the traction element being pressed out of the horizontal plane shown, as the mem-. bers or links 31 limit, or prevent the inner ends of the arms spreading. It will be understood, of course, that the traction element in this construction, like the traction element illustrated in the first three figures of the drawings, is made of a length just sufficient to permit it to extend about the peripheries of the two wheels, so that the inner and outer elements of the mechanism will. be held taut, thereby providing a rigid truss intermediate of the vertical centers of the wheels, without'the necessity of employing any stationary means, such as shoes and the like, for holding the tractor-element in proper position.

It is evident from the constructions shown and described, that a positive and rigid tractor-belt or mechanism is provided which obviates the necessity of having frictional engagement with means for maintaining the proper operative position of the traction element. I am thus enabled to overcome the serious objections that have heretofore been encountered in mechanisms of the nature herein described; at the same time providing mechanism which will possess proper flexibility at the points where it must move about the axes of the wheels. I

I have shown and described what I believe to be the best forms of my invention, but the same may be altered in certain re-. spects without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not wish, therefore, to be understood as limiting myself to the exact constructions shown and described.

What I claim is 1. Traction mechanism, comprising a pair of wheels each having double peripheral portions spaced apart and provided with a plurality of flat-engaging surfaces, said peripheral portions being formed integral with a hub provided with a central flange, an endless tractor element extending about the peripheral portions of the vwheels and adapted to span the intervening spaces, said element consisting of a plurality of cleats having alternating extended sides and recesses, with the recesses of one cleat adapted to receive the extended portions or sides of an adjacent cleat, the extended portions being provided with registering holes to receive connecting pins, both ends of each cleat being provided. with inwardly presented tapering arms or strut-braces disposed on opposite sides of the central flange on the hub of each wheel, an endless element, or truss adapted to move about the hubs of the wheels intermediate of the peripheral portions and pivotally connected with the inner ends of both arms of each cleat to prevent spreading movement of the arms or strutbraces of adjacent cleats, said inner element being also provided with intermediate yielding points formed by transversely extending pins adapted to extend across said hubfiange and be engaged thereby so as to cause said intermediate yielding points to move ofi' dead center in a predetermined manner during travel of both elements about the wheels.

2. Traction mechanism, comprising a pair of wheels, each composed of spaced disks or felly-portions which are provided with engaging surfaces, a tractor element composed of cleats having alternating extended sides and recesses, with the recesses of one cleat adapted to receive the extended portions of an adjacent cleat, the extended portions being provided with registering holes to receive connecting pins, each cleat being provided with a pair of inwardly extending tapering arms or strut-braces arranged so as to provide spaces intermediate of the inner ends of the arms of adjacent cleats, and an inner endless element. pivot-ally secured between the ends of the pair of arms of each cleat and arranged to maintain the arms of adjacent cleats against spreading beyond the maximum spaced relation, said element being arranged to permit movement of the arms or strut-braces of adjacent cleats toward each other during movement of the tractor element about the wheels.

- JAMES M. VORTH. Witnesses:

GEORGE HEIDMAN, F. A. FLORELL. 

